The invention concerns a method for temperature and time control of electrically-operated heating devices installed at an end user in order to optimize energy consumption and energy costs, wherein the end user is connected to a power supply network, and wherein there is employed for the control a dedicated control system which forms part of a control and communication structure. The invention also concerns a control and communication structure for temperature and time control of electrically-operated heating devices installed at an end user in order to optimize energy consumption and energy costs, wherein the end user is connected to a power supply network, and wherein the control and communication structure comprises a dedicated control system and one or more communication interfaces. Finally, the invention concerns a local control unit for use in a control and communication structure for temperature and time control of electrically-operated heating devices installed at an end user in order to optimize energy consumption and energy costs, wherein the end user is connected to a power supply network, and wherein the control and communication structure comprises a dedicated control system and one or more communication interfaces, together with an application of the local control unit.
In order to achieve efficient exploitation of energy resources, it is of vital importance to be able to monitor and control the consumption of electrical energy, thus optimizing energy consumption on the basis of one or more criteria, such as minimizing energy costs or minimizing power consumption or a combination of such criteria. Methods and systems are known which perform various forms of optimization of the consumption of electrical energy. For example, systems are known which provide a local optimization of the energy consumption and a restriction of the maximum power. Where such local systems comprise a number of elements, the communication between the elements in the system is conducted by means of cable-borne communication. In such local systems it is the local user, consumer or end user who sets up the optimization criteria. EP-A-0688085 discloses an energy control system in which a central control device controls thermal units used in heating a building with reference to information relating to tariff changes so as to maintain temperature within preset bounds while resulting in minimum cost.
There are also known systems which employ different types of communication systems, such as radio communication, carrier wave communication on the power network and continuous control of energy and power consumption in a distribution network with end user loads. In systems of this kind it is the operation manager or the operator of the power supply network who sets up the optimization criteria.
The disadvantage of the known systems for optimizing the electrical energy consumption is that they either consider only the end user's requirements and not the capacity and operating conditions of the power supply system, or they show primary consideration towards the latter, but not to the end user's requirements. Moreover, systems which require frequent monitoring of the end user are based on sampling and recording of power consumption and transfer of measurements to a control centre, from where energy consumption and power consumption can be controlled according to more closely specified criteria. This is based on a two-way communication, eventually resulting in comprehensive and costly measures for conducting the communication and handling often substantial amounts of data. In order to avoid this and achieve benefits in efficiency, it has been proposed that well-defined categories of end users should be monitored, based on representative selections, resulting in a central control of power consumption based on statistical optimization parameters.
In general, it can be said that as a rule the prior art in optimization of the consumption of electrical energy requires substantial investment in components and considerable installation costs. No attempt has been made to integrate different forms of control, such as control of thermostats, control of power, energy, time control, switch functions and central communication in one and the same unit, even though this appears to be an essential condition for achieving the necessary flexibility in the optimization.
Furthermore, the known systems can entail considerable operating costs which generally have to be covered by the operating manager for the power supply network or the owners thereof.
The systems currently in use for power control in local distribution networks are controlled centrally, thus offering the end user little opportunity of influencing the system, and the end user has no opportunity whatever of influencing either his own energy consumption profile or the power supply system's total energy consumption profile.
Control concepts based on continuous control (ripple control) and carrier wave communication on the power link, employ units which are placed in fuse boxes and the like on the premises of the end user, and do not permit, e.g., control of a medium which has to be heated by electrical heating devices. In the case of local systems which provide the opportunity for temperature control, these generally comprise a number of units and communication between the units is generally conducted on a cable-borne system. These systems are usually limited to a building complex.